Japan's humble 'onigiri' rice balls get image upgrade

Yumiko Ukon, who runs the restaurant Onigiri Bongo, a shop specialising in rice balls known as "onigiri", posing with the rice balls she made. - AFP

TOKYO: Wrapped in seaweed and stuffed with delicious fillings, "onigiri" rice balls are shaking off their reputation as a cheap and uninspiring snack in Japan -- and enticing hungry converts abroad.

Mouth-watering pictures on social media, rising demand for affordable lunches, and a surge in tourism to Japan are all drawing people to the humble onigiri.